Series Type
Rural Learning
Subject
Capacity Building
Subject
Community Development
Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) serve communities traditionally underserved by banks and other lenders. In rural spaces, where access to credit and other financial services can be scarce, CDFIs come with many different capacities, tools, and programs that adapt to local needs. For rural communities navigating how to pay for community development and capital improvement projects, working with flexible, community-minded lenders can be a game-changer.
Moderated by Jerry Kenney, Program Officer at the T.L.L. Temple Foundation, this meeting brought together CDFIs working across rural Texas to explore how funders can:
- Identify and analyze the gaps in their local finance sector
- Attract lenders that fill local needs for credit
- Understand the unique role for CDFIs in rural entrepreneurial ecosystems and rural development
- Engage with CDFIs to build capacity among community leaders to better access capital
- Discover ways to engage with CDFIs to meet the needs of rural places